Flash light switch



Aug. 30, 1932. J. F. MORAN FLASH LIGHT'SWITCH Filed June 10, 1931 lNvENToR BY ATTORNEY;

Patented Aug. 30, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT@ o1-FICE JOSEPH F. MOBAN, F WATERBUBY, NXECTICUT, ASSIGNOB T0 SCOVILL HAN'UFAC- TURIN G COMPANY, 0F WATRBUBY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECT- ICUT rusa mem' swrrcn Application Med June 10,

This invention relates to electric ilashlights of the portable or hand t and more particularly to a current-contro ling switch especially adapted for flashlight use.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved form of slide switch for flashlights constructed and arranged to rmit selective ashing or permanent lighting of the lamp and to prevent accidental operation of the lamp at any time.

These and other ob'ects which will bey apparent to those skille in this particular art are accomplished by means of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing in 15 which, l

Fig. 1 is a partial sectional view of a ilashlight constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, showing the parts in inoperative position.

2 Fig. 2 is a similar view of the switch mech anism showing the slide in position for permanent lighting, and e Fig. 3 isa similar view showing the posi'- tion of the slide when in position to close 5, the circuit for flashing purposes.

The particular embodiment of the resent invention which has been chosen fori ustration is shown in connection with a flashlight having the usual casing 5 housin a battery G and havinga lamp 7 mounted 1n a socket 8 at one end of the casing. One batter terminal is electrically `connected throug the casing, or by other means, with one terminal 9 of the lamp contacts with a conductor strip 10 forming part of an assembly which includes a separate conductor strip 11 in vcontact with the center terminal of the battery 6. Strips of insulation 12 land 13 form a part of the conductor strip assembly forinsulating the conductors from each other and from the. metallic casing 5, and the assembl suitably mounted 1n position in any deslred manner, all as more fully describedv in the cop-pending application of Morris H. Bennett, Serial Number 520,538, filed March 6, 1931. As therein described, the insulating strip 13 intermediate the conductor strips terminates short of the free ends thereof so as to provide uninsulated portions 14'and 15 ing nal of thelamp 8, while the center termi 1931. Serial vIt). 548,834.

i 15 will move the same into contact and close the circuit between the battery andv lamp.

In the present application, the mechanism for controlling the lamp circuit is in the form of a slide switch' supported upon an es-v cutcheon plate 16 secured tothe casing 5 over an opening 17 adjacent the free end of the conductor1 strip 14. A'thumb piece 18 is slidably positioned on thel escutcheon plate and secured thereto by ears 19 extending through slots of the usual ty e, not shown, and engaging the under sur ace of the escutcheon plate, the slidable thumb piece beof t e escutcheon plate. Movable with the thumb piece in the opening v20 is a ball 21, such as a standard ball bearing, positioned in a depression -in the thumb piece and adapted to seat in a pocket 22 formed in a flexlble depressible -member 23 secured to the casing land positioned so that the portion formed bythe curve of the pocket 22 bears on the strip of-insulation 12 adjacent the free end of the conductor strip 14. The outer free end of the fllexible depressible member23 adjacent the pocket is formed with a substantially flat surface 24 upon which the ball 21 is adapted to ride when the slide 18 is forced in that direction, see Fig. 2, so that the strip will be held in depressed positionwhen the slide is so moved and the conductors 14 and 15 will be held in permanent contact to provide a constant flow of current through the lamp 7. Movement of the thumb piece 18 inthe opposite direction, as shown in Fi. 3, causes the ball 21 to cam against the suriaoe of the flexible member at the opposite side of the pocket. The arrangement 1s such, however, that the ball will not ride entirely out of the pocket with the result that upon release of the thumb member 18 by the o the depressible mem r 23 causes the ball to return to the center of the pocket 22 and permit the conductors to separate as shown in Fig. 1. The extent of movement of the slide in either forward or rearward direction can rator, the resilience ofv sitioned over an opening 20 in the face i B The operation of the flashlight will be apparent. The inoperative positionis shown in Fig. 1 i'n-which the ball 21 is seated inthe pocket 22 of the flexible depressed memberA 23, and the parts are normally held in this position, in which the lamp circuit is open, by the resilience of such member.l If a permanent light is desired, the slide is ressed by the thumb of the operator intot e fordependently of the operator. To return the parts to the inoperative position, it is necessary for the slide 18 to be manually returned to the position shown in Fig. 1. .If flashing operatlon of the lamp is desired, the slide 18 is moved in a rearward direction t-o the position indicated in Fig. 3, in which 'position the flexible member 23 has again beende` pressed by the ball riding up the rear surface of the pocket 22 and the conductors are again moved into contact. In this position, however, the ball is not moved entirely out of the pocket 22 so that it is necessary for the operator to hold the slide in the rearward position as long as a light is desired. Upon' release-of the slide or thumb piece 18, the upward pressure of the iiexible member 23 causes the ball 21 to roll back into the pocket 22 and 'the parts are automatically returned to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 1. l

Although the present application shows a switch in which the slide member is moved forwardly to permanent lighting position and rearwardly toliash, it will be apparent that the arrangement is such as to permit the parts being designed so that the slide 4will move rearwardly to permanently light the lamp and forwardly for flashing, if desired.

'It will also be apparent that operation of the switch to close the lamp circuit can occur only upon intentional sliding movement of the thumb piece 18 in one direction' or the other. N o depressible movement of the slide can occur and inward pressure upon the thumb piece 18 will have no effect Whatever as far as the lamp circuit is concerned.

yI claim as my invention 1. The combination in a flashlight having a casing, a lamp, and a batteryof aswitch mechanism for controllinggthe llow of. current through said lamp including-a movable member for closing the lamp and battery circuit and a thumb piece slidably mounted on 8.5 said casing for actuating said member, the

ward position shown in Fig. 2. In this position the ball 21 has ridden out ofthe pocket u switch mechanism for controlling the flow ofcurrent through said lamp including a pair of conductors', means for moving said conductors into current carrying engagement including a thumb piece slidably mounted on said casing and an intermediate {iexible member adapted to be actuated by said slide for moving one of said conductors into engagement Lwith the other,jth e vengaging surfaces between said member and said slide being formed to provide a constant light when said slide is moved in one direction and to provide for flashing of said light when said slide'is moved in the other direction.

3. The combination in aliashlight having'v a slotted casing, a lamp, and a battery, of a switch mechanism for controlling the iow of current through said lamp including a thumb piece slidably mounted on said casing, and a co-operating flexible member having a pocket formed therein, means \movable with 'said thumb piece and adapted to normally seat in said pocket to permit said member to assume an inoperative position, and means for determining the extent of movement of said thumb piece in each direction to permit said pocket engaging means to be moved entirely out of said pocket when said thumb piece is forced in one direction and to prevent said means being'moved entirely out of said pocket when said thumb piece is moved in the opposite direction.

a casing, a lamp, and a battery, of a switch mechanism for controlling the flow of current" to permanently close said circuit, and to prevent said ball being moved entirely out of said pocket when said thumb piece is moved in the opposite direction to provide for flashlng operation of said lamp.-

n testimony whereof, I have signed my name `of this specification this 8th. day of June, 1931.

JOSEPH F. MORAN.

4. The combination in a iashlight having 

